3 New Teaching Methods Improve the Educational Process

The traditional “chalk and talk” method of teaching that’s persisted for hundreds of years is now acquiring inferior results when compared with the more modern and revolutionary teaching methods that are available for use in schools today. Greater student interaction is encouraged, the boundaries of authority are being broken down, and a focus on enjoyment over grades is emphasised.

As teachers, it’s necessary to be able to teach and remain engaging. It puts a greater level of responsibility on creating lesson plans that truly work. Here are three teaching methods that are making an impact.

Spaced Learning

Teachers have reported amazing results when it came to spaced learning. Spaced Learning is a learning method in which the condensed learning content is repeated three times, with two 10-minute breaks during which activities such as physical activities are performed by the students – I think, that PE and lessons can be combined.

Spaced learning involves encouraging students to quickly switch through activities. For example, providing ten minutes of knowledge on the nervous system with a PowerPoint presentation and then having 15 minutes of basketball would be the way to get the better grades.

The results don’t lie and the creators of the system at Monkseaton High School in Tyne and Wear have reported that it does work. They claim that it’s more effective than simply teaching students by utilising traditional methods for four hours.

The key is in the brain cells. It helps them to create the connections that they need to actually remember the knowledge. Furthermore, it has the additional benefit of allowing people to relax. If they are compressing sections of the syllabus into such small sections then there’s no time to worry. It’s all about the learning before moving on to another session of activity.

Flexible Fridays

Sometimes conventional lesson blocks just don’t work as every student is different and they all have their problematic subjects. The concept of Flexible Fridays is that an in-depth session of a subject can be acquired by simply having a whole day of mathematics or some other subject.

At Flexible Fridays lessons a teacher try to help each student to study and learn what is the most difficult for him/her personally. Somebody repeats, somebody learns. It makes it more convenient for students as now they can focus on one thing while in school. It means that students don’t have a breaking point by spending hours struggling with a subject along at home.

Teachers also find it easier as they can keep their lesson plans and simply go over them again with a more personal touch. Flexible Friday lessons are more in-touch with students and gives focused study time that can help students grasp difficult concepts.

Teachers are also able to aid students by simply having fast-track weeks. Having a whole week of mathematics or English can help students to get through the subjects in a shorter amount of time.

It’s good news for teachers and students alike because even though a lesson lasts an hour it could actually lose up to 25 percent of its designated time. There’s the preparing for class and packing away to take into account, and students are not always the quickest at performing these tasks.

Teacher should choose what method is more appropriate for his/her students: spaced learning or Flexible Fridays.

Engagement

Under a new teaching method called “engagement” students are urged to engage with the real world, analyse everything that happens in different life spheres (not only internship but also economical, business, social spheres, etc.). Business studies are where this new focus of engagement occurred at the Leasowes Community College in Dudley.

Instead of conventional teaching methods, students were taken to visit local businesses where they were able to witness how the knowledge that they were learning applied to the real world.

Multiple days were set aside for this practice and all students were required to wear business suits in order to attend. The idea is to get students engaged and to connect their learning to the real world. If teachers can show them how what they are teaching connects to the real world then their own brain cells are going to connect them and associate them.

The results are there for all to see because before this new method was introduced only 40 percent of students achieved grades of A-C across both years 10 and 11. Under the new teaching method the institution reported that the numbers had shot up to a massive 91 percent of students achieving A-Cs in years 10 and year 11.

New methods of teaching have the purpose to improve the quality of education and involve students in educational process. Innovations mean a progress and development.

21 COMMENTS

Dear Sonia,
Greetings from India…..
The 3 ideas appear topical and relevant and can be incorporated to class room teaching. I am quite excited to assess the results when effectively implemented.
Thankyou and keep updating us with more innovative ideas
Regards,
Ranjana

[…] merely pass tests. The school entices kids with a host of innovative practices, offering them ‘flexible Fridays’ (where class runs from 8:30am to 1:30pm and students are given the opportunity to concentrate on […]

As a parent, I am so hopeful that we can change our methods of teaching to embrace some non-traditional elements in the classroom. As mentioned towards the end of the article, engaging the student in the real world is needed for basic preparation, a quiz simply won’t do that.

[…] Engagement is a new teaching technique where students learn the target language in the actual context. Examples include taking students to visit a local business or supermarket. This means students can see what they are learning actually applies in the real world. […]

Dear Sonia,
I have admired your essay and all new ideas… I have to tell you that I am trying to translate it into arabic language to publish it in a local magazine. certainly I will mention all the necessary information especially your name and this website. thank you very much.

Dear sonia.
I liked ur ideas. Very creative. Definitely I will apply with my students. I liked ur spaced learning idea as it will be useful for students to think from all four sides. I m expecting more innovative ideas as it is useful for students as well learning for a Teacher.
Sonal jathar
Teacher from India…surat

Greetings. I am excited after reading through the nice 3 ideas. I am waiting to implement the same before I do the same I am going to prepare my staff so that an effective implementation may result in excellent style. I will be grateful if new ideas like this may be notified for further improvements in Teaching and Learning. Thank you so much and may God bless all your endeavors.

In vedic times “jatpat’ style was practiced with different levels of voice modulations……to memorize shalokes and mantras.
DO IT AGAIN POLICY in teaching always works…as our brain functions on this principle only!!!

There are many other techniques that can be used to enhance effective learning. I am using many such techniques to empower my students from down trodden and unaddressed segment of society for their better comprehension yielding good grades as well.

Dear Sonia.
Your techniques are wonderful. I would like to appreciate with few suggestions as well. Incarporating these techniques in school will also need daily few hours for other subjects of students. This will help in keeping students in touch with other subjects. As it was felt when last year. I used technique of giving even half day to one more attention needed subject and second half to a comparatively easy subject. When it continued for a week and feedback from learners of class 9 to 11 was received , they mentioned that they need to keep in touch with other subjects as well. Therefore, method was changed incarporating suggestions of learners. Now school is getting even better results along with satisfaction of students. Educationist may give me further feed back to improve.
Regards